Copper-niobium alloy and method for the production thereof

Abstract

The invention relates to the field of materials engineering and relates to copper-niobium alloys which can be used for producing powder metallurgical products by known shaping methods, e.g., after having been processed into semi-finished products or shaped bodies, and a method for the production thereof. The object of the invention is to disclose copper-niobium alloys and a method for the production thereof in which a homogenous metastable Cu mixed crystal is present and a method for its implementation. The object is attained through a copper-niobium alloy in which, in addition to a copper-niobium mixed crystal, niobium deposits with particle diameters of 5-100 nm are also present in a copper matrix. The object is further attained through a method for producing copper-niobium alloys in which copper powder as matrix material and 0.1 to 50 at. % niobium powder are jointly ground and mechanically alloyed and then subjected to at least one thermal treatment.

1 . Copper-niobium alloy comprising in a copper matrix, in addition to a copper-niobium mixed crystal, niobium deposits with particle diameters of 5-100 nm.  
     
     
         2 . Copper-niobium alloy according to  claim 1 , wherein the niobium is present partially dissolved in the copper lattice.  
     
     
         3 . Copper-niobium alloy according to  claim 1 , wherein the niobium deposits are present in a form of fine particles or fibers.  
     
     
         4 . Copper-niobium alloy according to  claim 3 , wherein the niobium deposits are present in a form of fibers, and the fibers have an aspect ratio of greater than 4:1.  
     
     
         5 . Copper-niobium alloy according to  claim 1 , with a conductivity of 50 to 80% IACS.  
     
     
         6 . Copper-niobium alloy according to  claim 1 , with a strength of 1200 to 2000 MPa.  
     
     
         7 . Method for producing a copper-niobium alloy according to  claim 1 , wherein copper powder as matrix material and 0.1 to 50 at. % niobium powder are jointly ground and mechanically alloyed and subsequently subjected to at least one thermal treatment.  
     
     
         8 . Method according to  claim 7 , wherein 0.5 to 20 at. % niobium powder is added.  
     
     
         9 . Method according to  claim 7 , wherein the grinding is carried out at temperatures of −196° C. to −10  C.  
     
     
         10 . Method according to  claim 7 , wherein the grinding is performed in a grinding vessel, and cooling of the grinding vessel is carried out at least one of during grinding and between grinding stages.  
     
     
         11 . Method according to  claim 7 , wherein the grinding is performed in a grinding vessel, and the grinding vessel is cooled with liquid nitrogen or with ethanol.  
     
     
         12 . Method according to  claim 7 , wherein a complete forcible solution of the niobium in the copper lattice is carried out during grinding.  
     
     
         13 . Method according to  claim 7 , wherein the at least one thermal treatment is carried out at temperatures ≧500° C.  
     
     
         14 . Method according to  claim 7 , wherein the at least one thermal treatment includes a thermal treatment carried out at a same time as a shaping process.  
     
     
         15 . Method according to  claim 14 , wherein the shaping process includes forming a fiber-shaped structure of the copper-niobium alloy.  
     
     
         16 . Method according to  claim 15 , wherein a fiber aspect ratio of greater than 4:1, is established during shaping.  
     
     
         17 . Method according to  claim 7 , wherein grinding is performed for between 20 and 30 hours.  
     
     
         18 . Copper-niobium alloy according to  claim 4 , wherein the fibers have an aspect ratio of greater than 10:1.  
     
     
         19 . Method according to  claim 16 , wherein a fiber aspect ratio of greater than 10:1 is established during shaping.  
     
     
         20 . Copper-niobium alloy according to  claim 1 , comprising a homogeneous single-phase alloy of copper and niobium.